


Cultural Exchange Program

by ohaiwrites



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But there will be fluff, Dragon Age Inquisition, F/M, I promise, Slow Build, Slow Burn, dragon age modern au, seriously, this will take some time, we all need that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-22 15:32:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4840787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohaiwrites/pseuds/ohaiwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern AU: Lavellan is sent on a cultural exchange that will take her through large parts of Thedas. It could be so simple... if it weren't for the one man determined to test her limits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Room service

The knocking woke her up.

"Excuse me! Room service!" said an undisclosed voice, and it took Ella a moment to come to her senses. This looked unfamiliar. She wasn't at home. _A... hotel?!_

Suddenly it hit her. The goodbye party. The drinks. The flirting. The karaoke. The taxi ride to a hotel.

She bolted upright, disoriented and nervous. Through the only half-closed curtains she could see the sun shining brightly. _It was past early morning then?_   On the floor lay her clothes untouched, mindlessly discarded in the night before. Her nerves tickled as she realized she was naked under all those sheets and blankets. As a flash of two melting bodies hit her, she turned in panic, relieved to find her sitting in the kingsized bed alone.

"I'm very sorry, but I need to clean the room" tried the voice again.

Creators, how late was it? "Uhm yes, sorry! I'll be right out" shouted Ella as she slid off the bed, gathering her clothes and putting them on hastily. There was an impatient mumble, then silence. An elderly dwarven maid raised an eyebrow when she finally opened the door.

"So sorry" she said again, fumbling in her purse for money. "I -- uhm... Has this room been paid for?" Ella asked dumbfounded as she handed the dwarven lady her last change for tip.

The maid shrugged. "Boss told me to clean up, room's been checked out already."

 _Oh, how nice of him to just check out and leave me here._ "Alright. Thanks. And - sorry again." 

* * *

 

A quick glance at her phone told her it was past 11am. As she made her way home, she checked her texts. 

 _Rasha [6:30am]: fuck, Ella, tell me you're alright after taking off with that dude._  
        _[9:11am]: srsly. you alright?_  
_[10:47am]: starting to worry. pls call me_

She couldn't help but roll her eyes a little, then smile. Rasha was always overprotective, but Ella wouldn't have her any other way. She was like a sister to her. _I have to call her back_.

"Lethallan! You had me worried. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just calling to let you know I wasn't axe-murdered by the one night stand."

Rasha scoffed. "You could as well have been! I hope you were safe?" 

"Mhmm. Yes mum."

"Ah come on!" And then, after a brief pause, softer, more curious: "Will you see him again?"

"Oh, Creators, no." Ella laughed. "I mean - it wasn't bad or anything. I just - it was a nice diversion, but nothing more."

"Aww too bad. Or maybe not. You can get yourself a cute fling on your exchange then."

"You mean so I can satisfy your need for gossip?"

Her friend laughed. "Hey, you know how dull clan life can be." 

"Tell me about it" Ella teased in return. "But sweetie, I really gotta go. I'm nearly home and I still need to shower and pack."

"Sure, just glad you okay."

There was a comfortable silence. "Hey, Ella." "Yes?"

"Call, okay? Or... text. Whatever. Don't be a stranger."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Of course."

"Good. Dareth shiral."

* * *

 

The shower felt amazing, the coffee she had afterwards even better. It was the last time she would be at her place for quite some time, so she took her time to enjoy the solitude.

Six months of cultural exchange, starting tomorrow. Or, tonight, if she counted the overnight ride to Skyhold. Her going away party last night had ended in her waking up in a stranger's hotel room, and Ella couldn't help but laugh to herself.

 _I_ _f this sets the tempo for the coming months, it's going to be one hell of a ride_. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All elvhen names/words courtesy of FenxShiral's lovely Project Elvhen: http://archiveofourown.org/series/229061
> 
> Lethallan - friend  
> Dareth shiral - Safe journey  
> Rasha - dark cloud


	2. Wrong place, wrong time.

Skyhold was a sight to behold. As the taxi drove across a huge bridge, Ella was able to get a good look at the United Nations' headquarter. The former castle rose up in front of snowy mountains, glass facades complementing the parts that time had withered down. The mix of ancient stones and modern structures felt natural, and she couldn't wait to get the chance to explore the facility.

"You must be Miss Lavellan. An'daran Atish'an!" A darkhaired woman beamed at her from across the room. "I see you found the reception just fine. Good. Let me-" she reached over a table and pulled out a badge with Ella's picture and name printed on it. "Here you go. If there is anything I can do, please do let me know."

"'Ma Serannas! I mean - thank you." Ella smiled nervously and clipped the badge on her jacket. _Oh. Damn._ They had used her photo from the application process, and it barley looked like her anymore. She had since cut her hair and returned to her natural hair color, so the longhaired wavy blonde starring at her felt somehow _off_. 

"Is something wrong?" The woman - Jo--something, as a quick glance at her badge revealed - had noticed Ella looking slightly confused. "Oh. How rude of me. I haven't introduced myself, have I? I am ambassador Josephine Montilyet, of Antiva. I will be your contact for all administrative duties and questions during the next months. I will introduce myself at our dinner tonight. It will be grand, surely! Oh, but I digress - is there something you need?"

Ella couldn't help but smile. "I... It's just that my badge picture is a little old. I should have submitted something more recent but with all the preparations I forgot..." Josephine shot a glance at the badge, then at Ella. "I suppose we should get you a new one. It was good of you to mention it. For the time being it should not pose any problems, but Orlesian and Tevinter Court does tend to make a fuss over proper identifications." 

"Tevinter... court?" Ella stared in disbelief. She was probably joking, right? In all her research, going to Tevinter, less a Tevinter Court, had never come up as an event that occured during the United Nations' exchange program. 

"Oh, yes!" Josephine beamed, then, as if remembering something, covered her mouth with her hand. "I shouldn't have said anything. It is a well-kept surprise..." Then, after a moment of contemplation, she added: "But I'm sure it won't matter if you know a few hours before the others. Anyway - I will send for you some time tomorrow to get you a new badge."

"Thank you, Josephine." The ambassador nodded politely and proceeded to greet another guest.

* * *

 

The directions to her room were simple enough: section D, 2nd floor, room 24 - yet she still managed to get lost. _Fenedhis_ , she cursed under her breath, as she dragged her luggage behind her. She had carried her suitcase all the way up the stairs when she realized she was in section B, not D. It only had dawned on her when she stood in the middle of a library, that she might have misread the signs. In her defense, the "B" was so faded it had indeed looked like a D. 

"Argh, shit, just- oh come on---" Ella continued cursing. _Should have taken that concierge up on his offer to get my luggage carried to my room._ Something blocked the little wheels on her suitcase, so she yanked hard. So hard that she didn't pay attention to the door opening just now-

The suitcase gave way and she slammed into the door, crushing it into a tall figure about to pass through. Different notes and letters were scattered across the floor, soaking up a pool of black coffee that spilled from a now shattered cup. A deep groan followed.

"Fuck. I am so sorry." Ella looked up. 

A bare-faced elf stared down to her, then to the floor where his notes were slowly dissolving into unreadable wet pieces of paper, then back to her. She could see something flicker in his eyes, surprise maybe?-, but it quickly faded into open disgust. 

"You have the wrong section" he simply stated and kneeled down to gather his things. 

"Oh, yes, I know, I - ... here, let me help--" 

"It is of no use. You should be more concerned with finding your quarters, unless, of course, you favor to carry your belongings with you at all times in true Dalish fashion. The stables have room for a halla carriage, I am told."

His words came quickly and it took her a moment to process the insult, delivered in such delicate pronunciation he could have politely complimented the weather. _Okay..._

Ella straightened her posture. "Well. Good to know my people are as popular as ever with the shems."

He shot her a look at the last word, a carefully picked insult that apparently didn't miss its intent. Without another sound he picked up the last piece of paper, stood up and left. He had already taken several steps when he turned around. "I expect you will find someone to clean this up." And with that, he was gone.

Ella rolled her eyes. _Pala adahl’en._ What a prick.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Elvhen courtesy of [Fenxshiral](http://archiveofourown.org/series/229061), as always, thanks for the great work!
> 
> An'daran Atish'an - Greetings, Welcome, The place you go is a safe place  
> 'Ma Serannas - My thanks. My gratitude.  
> Fenedhis - Wolf penis  
> Pala adahl’en. - Go fuck a forest (hey, the best insult ever. Thanks again for this.)
> 
> I vaguely remember _shem_ being used as an insult for city elves/non-Dalish elves by the Dalish as well, so I thought this might be fitting in this situation.


End file.
